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I have weird starting issues with my car

 
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 76304482
United States
01/17/2020 04:23 PM
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I have weird starting issues with my car
I turn the key, all the dash lights come on, I try to start it and nothing happens. No sound, just all the lights go off on dash. Try again and starts no problem on the second attempt. This has happened three times in the last few days. I have a 98 Saturn SC2. My battery is only a month old and I don't think it's a battery issue. Could this be a bad ignition switch? My ignition lock cylinder is going bad as I have to play around with the key sometimes to get it out the ignition.
Click Here Again

User ID: 77160280
United States
01/17/2020 04:27 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
I turn the key, all the dash lights come on, I try to start it and nothing happens. No sound, just all the lights go off on dash. Try again and starts no problem on the second attempt. This has happened three times in the last few days. I have a 98 Saturn SC2. My battery is only a month old and I don't think it's a battery issue. Could this be a bad ignition switch? My ignition lock cylinder is going bad as I have to play around with the key sometimes to get it out the ignition.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


Sounds like either your starter's going or your alternator. You can test your alternator easy enough. Ignition switch is possible too but that's usually the last thing. (Btw, do you let a bunch of keys/weight dangle from your ignition switch? If so, that's what's causing that. Get you a keyring that separates so you can put in only the ignition key so you don't have all that weight bearing down on it)
ET SF

User ID: 78296668
United States
01/17/2020 04:31 PM

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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Try squirting a little WD-40 in there. Worth a shot.
If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 68113750
Canada
01/17/2020 04:33 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Loose battery connection
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 4142105
United States
01/17/2020 04:34 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Give the battery terminals a good wiggle. If they're loose or hot after trying to start they need to be cleaned and tightened.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
User ID: 76304482
United States
01/17/2020 04:36 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Another thing to add, my radio presets get erased as well.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 66619947
United States
01/17/2020 04:38 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Try squirting a little WD-40 in there. Worth a shot.
 Quoting: ET SF


You are useless in society.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 77235068
Japan
01/17/2020 04:38 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Another thing to add, my radio presets get erased as well.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


Need for reprogramming??
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 42079668
United States
01/17/2020 04:39 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Another thing to add, my radio presets get erased as well.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


double check your battery terminals, make sure they are good and tight

make sure the wire crimping on the end is good as well and the ends don't pull off

other than that it sounds like ignition switch going out to me.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 42079668
United States
01/17/2020 04:39 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Try squirting a little WD-40 in there. Worth a shot.
 Quoting: ET SF


You are useless in society.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 66619947


wd40 inside the ignition cylinder can help if the little key bits are sticking

if you understood how those lock cylinders work you would understand
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355130
United States
01/17/2020 04:43 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Loose battery connection
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 68113750


THIS

or loose connection on you starter motor.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 74100962
United States
01/17/2020 04:45 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Bad ground
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355130
United States
01/17/2020 04:46 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Loose battery connection
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 68113750


THIS

or loose connection on you starter motor.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 78355130


wait. check your battery, if its a month old, then you just replaced it right, thats were to start looking

bad conntacts between the terminals and the battery
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355130
United States
01/17/2020 04:47 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Bad ground
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 74100962


THIS

maybe they moved the cable from the batery and now its not good on the body where it leads to

the negitive wire
1guynAz

User ID: 2229693
United States
01/17/2020 04:49 PM

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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Sounds like a combo problem I bet.

Battery cable and connectors need cleaning and
resetting and the ignition switch.
Living has taught me one thing; nothing is certain...except salvation through Jesus Christ!
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355130
United States
01/17/2020 04:49 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
I had this with my car, it was the battery terminal not tight enough to pass enough amps
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355130
United States
01/17/2020 04:49 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Sounds like a combo problem I bet.

Battery cable and connectors need cleaning and
resetting and the ignition switch.
 Quoting: 1guynAz


he has a new battery a month old
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355130
United States
01/17/2020 04:50 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Sounds like a combo problem I bet.

Battery cable and connectors need cleaning and
resetting and the ignition switch.
 Quoting: 1guynAz


he has a new battery a month old
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 78355130


likley this is the area of the problem
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78205971
United States
01/17/2020 04:51 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
I turn the key, all the dash lights come on, I try to start it and nothing happens. No sound, just all the lights go off on dash. Try again and starts no problem on the second attempt. This has happened three times in the last few days. I have a 98 Saturn SC2. My battery is only a month old and I don't think it's a battery issue. Could this be a bad ignition switch? My ignition lock cylinder is going bad as I have to play around with the key sometimes to get it out the ignition.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


Relay first. Also check contact areas for rust.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 58514649
Canada
01/17/2020 04:53 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Loose battery connection
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 68113750


Give the battery terminals a good wiggle. If they're loose or hot after trying to start they need to be cleaned and tightened.
 Quoting: CosmicFire


^^This
^This

you had the battery replaced recently
you need to check the connections

side post with bolt?
or top post with clamps?
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78356571
United States
01/17/2020 04:54 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Another thing to add, my radio presets get erased as well.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


You have one of two things , a loose or corroded main electrical connection or a starter which is shorting to ground when you crank.


My guess is the bad connection. A problem with the ignition switch would not erase the radio memory, the power to the radio's memory is independent of the switches position.

I would check the ground straps from the engine to firewall and battery to frame, as well as the connections from the battery positive to the main power distribution box. Most likely the bad connection will be very hot after cranking for some period of time, and this is one way of finding it.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78356571
United States
01/17/2020 04:58 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Sounds like a combo problem I bet.

Battery cable and connectors need cleaning and
resetting and the ignition switch.
 Quoting: 1guynAz


he has a new battery a month old
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 78355130


likley this is the area of the problem
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 78355130


Probably replaced the battery believing the battery was the cause of this or some other electrical problem and it didn't help, though he didn't say that.

If the power to the radio preset memory is erased it means the main electrical power distribution is failing, because this circuit does not go through any of the cars switches or relays, it is direct to the battery more or less.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 77376498
United States
01/17/2020 05:03 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
On "modern cars( gms anyway) the key is not connected directly to the starter solenoid(like it usedto be).

The key switch puts 12v on various computer inputs Which tells the computer you "want to start the car." The computer then grounds the coil of the "starter relay" in the fuse box under the hood. This starter relay puts 12v on the starter solenoid (on the starter motor).

My Chevy badged R.v. Intermitently had a similar issue. (Sometimes)I had to turn the key multiple times or wiggle it just righ for the starter motor to kick in..Then it would work for weeks.

I changed the ignition switch contact block twice. So it was not the contacts. but the contact block is switched through a gear in the key cylinder housing on the steering column.

I think the gear in the key cylinder may have been loose on the shaft or sloppily worn preventing the key from turning far enough to make that "start " contact.

The starter worked fine if I went straight to the starter solenoid with 12v.

You really should take it to a "good" diagnostics shop. I'm a pretty experienced electro-mechanical technician and It repeatedly kicked my butt

I finally sold it cheap.(fully disclosing the issue and my "backup" (emergency starting fix).
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78355828
United States
01/17/2020 05:05 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
You need to ask a tech that is overly familiar with your car. Maybe post on a Saturn forum your problem and get responses from individuals that are around your vehicle often. Guessing will cost you time and money and no one here will give you accurate advise. I am a 30 year manufacturer specific tech and would not guess what's wrong with your car as I am not familiar with Saturn vehicles. You could ask a Saturn tech and they may know exactly what's wrong without ever touching your car. Trust me
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78144729
United Kingdom
01/17/2020 05:07 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Might be a column lock issue,find the fuse,pull it out,stick it back in and try again.If you cant find fuse then disconnect and reconnect battery and try again.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78350608
United Kingdom
01/17/2020 05:10 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Solenoid [link to www.reference.com (secure)]
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78356571
United States
01/17/2020 05:15 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
On "modern cars( gms anyway) the key is not connected directly to the starter solenoid(like it usedto be).

The key switch puts 12v on various computer inputs Which tells the computer you "want to start the car." The computer then grounds the coil of the "starter relay" in the fuse box under the hood. This starter relay puts 12v on the starter solenoid (on the starter motor).

My Chevy badged R.v. Intermitently had a similar issue. (Sometimes)I had to turn the key multiple times or wiggle it just righ for the starter motor to kick in..Then it would work for weeks.

I changed the ignition switch contact block twice. So it was not the contacts. but the contact block is switched through a gear in the key cylinder housing on the steering column.

I think the gear in the key cylinder may have been loose on the shaft or sloppily worn preventing the key from turning far enough to make that "start " contact.

The starter worked fine if I went straight to the starter solenoid with 12v.

You really should take it to a "good" diagnostics shop. I'm a pretty experienced electro-mechanical technician and It repeatedly kicked my butt

I finally sold it cheap.(fully disclosing the issue and my "backup" (emergency starting fix).
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 77376498

Your problem is totally different from ops. it is obvious your problem was with the ignition switch not sending to the starter relay, since everything worked normally when you bypassed it directly to the starter relay.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 26740933
United States
01/17/2020 05:37 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
I turn the key, all the dash lights come on, I try to start it and nothing happens. No sound, just all the lights go off on dash. Try again and starts no problem on the second attempt. This has happened three times in the last few days. I have a 98 Saturn SC2. My battery is only a month old and I don't think it's a battery issue. Could this be a bad ignition switch? My ignition lock cylinder is going bad as I have to play around with the key sometimes to get it out the ignition.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


Could be the ignition switch. Also, could be the fuel pump and filter. If the filter is clogged it is difficult for the gasoline to flow. A good way to check that? After your car has been off for a while and the motor is cold, put the key in the ignition, turn it to the position right before it starts to crank (don't crank) and all the way back 4-6 times. After the last time, try to crank it. Do this process slow as you are giving the fuel a chance to start to flow. After the last turn of the key, crank it. If it cranks up, it's your pump and/or filter. If not, it's probably starter and or alternator. At AutoZone they check both for free. U just have to take them off and take them up there. Just a couple of screws nothing impossible. When u take off alternator memorize the pattern of the belt though. Take a picture beforehand. Hope u get it figured out. But do the false crank before u decide to remove the starter/alternator for testing. Don't want to do more work than you have to.
Mental Case

User ID: 78142333
United States
01/17/2020 05:42 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
I have a chip in my key...the truck wont start until it reads that chip.

I had the same problem you are talking about...I started putting the key in & waiting 1 second before trying to start it...problem solved.
If I am going to be damned...I am going to be damned for who I really am!
Nonentity

User ID: 77013656
United States
01/17/2020 05:44 PM

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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
Another thing to add, my radio presets get erased as well.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


You're having a voltage drop for that to happen.

Weak battery, yes it is a strong possibility. Even more so since it's not very old. Could be a bad battery.

Loose connections another possibility.


But that's a very strong clue, radio reset. Means your voltage is dropping. Too much draw from a partial short or a battery that can't provide enough amps or is weak/bad.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 78224024
Canada
01/17/2020 05:51 PM
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Re: I have weird starting issues with my car
I turn the key, all the dash lights come on, I try to start it and nothing happens. No sound, just all the lights go off on dash. Try again and starts no problem on the second attempt. This has happened three times in the last few days. I have a 98 Saturn SC2. My battery is only a month old and I don't think it's a battery issue. Could this be a bad ignition switch? My ignition lock cylinder is going bad as I have to play around with the key sometimes to get it out the ignition.
 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 76304482


Its goes in threes with keys.

Starter
Battery
Alternator





GLP